Dahlias for beginners 2012 season

[jrae]

Besides dahlia mignon what other dahlias are small single flower types? I have been told by my mother and my friend (who came over for a visit) that my flower garden has turned overwhelming. Most of the plants I grow have large flowers like the sunflowers and the giant zinnias. I think I need more plants that have smaller blooms and are dwarf types. My garden has turned into a garden of stakes and plant ties with all those tall plants.

[richardr]

Feb 9, 2012 16:45:47 GMT @jrae said:

Besides dahlia mignon what other dahlias are small single flower types? I have been told by my mother and my friend (who came over for a visit) that my flower garden has turned overwhelming. Most of the plants I grow have large flowers like the sunflowers and the giant zinnias. I think I need more plants that have smaller blooms and are dwarf types. My garden has turned into a garden of stakes and plant ties with all those tall plants.

Look at Dwarf Bedding dahlias, this will include the Gallery range and will be named after artists and such, e.g. Renoir. These will only grow to 20/30 cm, good old "old fashioned" dwarf bedders e.g. Park Princess, will grow to 40 - 60 cm.
All will have masses of flowers especially if regularly dead-headed.

[jrae]

Thanks Richard, I'll look up seeds on ebay or maybe ask a friend in Manchester to buy some seeds of those kinds for me.

[wildlifefriendly]

I took my first cuttings today. How am I doing for time Tel?

[scrumpy]

Bit early yet i reckon. The cuttings that come from the spot from the ones you have just taken will be the ones for your show.
My show is earlier than yours and cuttings taken 1st week in April are usually spot on.

[wildlifefriendly]

Thanks Scrumpy, I thought they were way too late rather than too early. Looks like I am in with a chance of keeping that cup ;D

[scrumpy]

I'm sure Tel will make sure of that

[Tel]

Feb 28, 2012 18:11:48 GMT @wildlifefriendly said:

I took my first cuttings today. How am I doing for time Tel?

Like scrumpy says it is a bit early yet, you will get more cutting material from where you took those from.
The most important thing for you, is to remember the stopping dates, making sure you have the same number of pairs of leaves left on the plant, to get the same number of blooms per plant, to ensure your blooms are near enough the same size when they flower. Don't panic you will be there.

[wildlifefriendly]

Thanks Tel, there are lots more cuttings comming.

[jrae]

Hubby removed the remaining dahlias that is still planted in the ground and I was sorting them out in the shade house today so I can pot them up.

I had noticed that some plants have large tubers with lots of smaller ones clumped around the big one. But there are some clumps that have lots of tubers but they're all just the same size, about the size of onions.

Is that normal? That some dahlias do have loads of tubers but they're all small? I figured they should have had enough time to develop at least one or two large tubers since they've been growing in the ground for over a year.

[Lou78W]

Perfectly normal Jra....some varieties make massive tubers and others hardly any.....worry not!!

[wildlifefriendly]

I took some more cuttings today, I have got 30 so far, that is not to say they will all root but all are looking healthy to date

[Tel]

Mar 17, 2012 17:55:16 GMT @wildlifefriendly said:

I took some more cuttings today, I have got 30 so far, that is not to say they will all root but all are looking healthy to date

Sounds promising WLF.

[wildlifefriendly]

Is it the first flower from each cutting I'm aiming for?

[scrumpy]

It's the first flower from each of the laterals that grow when you stop the plant that you are aiming for.